Category: Uncategorized

In a follow up to this post here on governance, there’s a great piece from Mark Hufty that does a fine job of shaping a conceptual framework for “Governance”.

You can find the ~20 page paper here, and check out the abstract below to get a sense of relevancy to your universe before investing your time. It’s a great read if you want to overcome the blurry lines of distinguishing between governance/government and political systems. It also provides a practical process to create and operationalise a governance framework for any entity.

Abstract:

Societies develop ways of making decisions regarding collective problems, thereby creating norms, rules, and institutions; this is what governance is about. In policy research, governance has become an important focus of attention; but debates show a lack of clarity at the conceptual level and a confusion between the use of the concept for prescriptive and analytical purposes. The present article is based on the hypothesis that using a clarified, non-normative governance perspective in policy research can contribute to an improved understanding of political processes, including formal and unrecognised ones, those embedded in larger and smaller social systems, as well as both vertical and horizontal political arrangements. The paper is the result of a collaborative engagement with the concept of governance within several networks, leading to the development of the Governance Analytical Framework (GAF). The GAF is a practical methodology for investigating governance processes, based on five analytical tools: problems, actors, social norms, processes, and nodal points. Besides describing the conceptual sources and analytical purpose of these five tools, the paper presents examples of how the GAF can be operationalised.

I’ve had the distinct pleasure of implementing an Enterprise Governance Framework. It was great and it worked, and that’s exactly why my perception of Governance has evolved. Big brother can work quite effectively. By that I mean a quick witted project manager can learn how to sit on brother’s shoulders, and that is the Achilles heal of a Governance framework in this day age. Governance today is visible, manipulatable, and overarching.

Agree that one size does not fit all in the real world and you’ll be hard pressed to figure out how to govern, and again that’s because most organizations today try to develop an overarching Governance framework while Corp-cultural paradigms are in the process of being redefined for agility. You’ll figure out how to govern when you settle on what to govern, in doing so you can be one step closer to a universal governance model.

Consider governance of a process. I call the figure below the triangle of love (long story…).

In process design, my humble opinion is Governance and Controls should come last, so you know what you’re governing and controlling. “Governing” vs. Governance is a key consideration. “GOVERNING” means active Governance with a focus on organizational Design and Strategy to empower a culture geared towards people as the primary drivers, thus providing organizational leadership with the necessary support to realize desired outcomes by focusing on activities. By aligning Controls and Gating (Governing) to Activities as the primary driver, as a process is tailored, Governance becomes dynamic and is for lack of a better term, carried, thus supportive and universal in nature. Note how controls, gating and human factors are all underlying, or for lack of a better term, underground.

Authentic is a word that is being thrown out there, left right and centre. What does it mean? Be Authentic. Does it mean, look in a mirror and be yourself? Does it mean accept your environment as a major influencer and succumb to your existence within it? Does it mean, be joyful, happy, motivated…blah blah blah…what?
Run a search for the definition of authentic, this is what Google renders:

Probability says you have a better chance of finding authenticity in the context of music, and you probably don’t even know it. Thus it is especially important when thinking about authenticity that we consider context so that we may reconcile against that which is “of undisputed origin, genuine”.

The moment you step into the education system these days, any sense or possibility of authenticity, scratch it out. Remember, the education system has evolved into a zero tolerance environment; the sandbox no longer exists. At least in North America this is true, unfortunately for the right reasons (violence, safety, etc.).

Everybody is in it for themselves and that exactly means what it means, zero tolerance for anything other than your perception of what is correct. It seems like the only way for correct to be perceived these days is a cultural stale mate, of which the economic cost is that of authenticity, because if everything is the same, what else do I need?

Discussing medical experiences is generally not appealing, which to some extent makes sharing such information taboo, basically because the details are most likely personal. When it comes to finding consensus with these types of discussions, we’re dreaming, and this is largely due to our individual organics, no one is the same. When you accept that you own and are accountable for your own organics, the relationship with the medical system evolves.

There is a stigma or stereotype that a family doctor or general practitioner navigates the medical waters for you. Nothing is further from the truth. The moment you start describing symptoms, you’re at the helm of the ship and the direction is based on what you say. Here are a few tips that have made my medical journey and communicating about it much more comfortable when dealing with the system and doctors in particular. I hope they may help you today and or in the future.

Take “note” of everything, especially symptoms

Symptoms – described in detail and over periods/cycles of time, know exactly what is a core symptom vs peripheral

Work with your GP to shape your therapeutic journey, specialists and hospitals address and approach most issues acutely. Symptoms, know them, write them down (especially over a period of time if possible). Recognize and describe both peripheral + core symptoms, the doctor observes and is dependent on you to navigate the medical system and its waters safely. Don’t shy away from asking stupid questions, chances you’re describing something when you do. Ultimately you are accountable for your own health and your interaction (responsibility) with the medical system. Treat your health like you treat your job. Watch what happens.